An Off Day?
by pale-blue11
Summary: When Danny Phantom experiences reoccurring headaches, are they just ordinary headaches? Or are they something worse? Before PP. I DON'T OWN DANNY PHANTOM
1. Chapter 1

Danny rolled over in his bed and groaned when he saw the time. He had to get ready for school, but the pounding headache he had was almost crippling. He felt sick and his skin buzzed as if alive- Danny hadn't felt like this since he first went ghost.

'Danny, honey, where are you?' Maddie Fenton yelled up at him. The question was soon followed by the sound of her footsteps ascending the stairs. 'Danny?'

His bedroom door opened, but Danny was facing in the opposite direction. Maddie walked across the room to wake him. 'Danny, it's time for school. Now, I don't know what's gotten into you, but your sister left almost half an hour ago… Are you OK?'

Danny groaned in reply, not opening his eyes to the harmful rays of light streaming through his window. 'I don't feel so good.'

Maddie quickly placed her hand on his forehead. 'You feel alright,' she told him. 'Now get downstairs before your father eats all the breakfast.'

Danny still wouldn't open his eyes. He let out another groan and buried his face in his pillow. Maddie's footsteps retreated to the kitchen.

'Jack!' Danny heard her exclaim. 'What _are_ you doing?'

Danny couldn't hear his father's reply, but, soon after, a loud crash echoed through the whole house. Danny sat up quickly in surprise, and leapt out of bed. He rapidly made his way to the kitchen, standing behind the doorway so that neither of his parents would be able to see him. His thumping heart slowed when all he could see were a couple of broken plates. No ghosts.

Already halfway back up the stairs, Danny felt there was something missing. He stopped and looked around vaguely.

'Danny, my boy, good to see you awake!' Jack Fenton boomed from the base of the stairs. Danny spun around sharply. 'Maddie told me that you weren't feeling your best.'

_So that's what I couldn't think of,_ Danny thought. _My headache's gone._

'Y-yes,' Danny stammered. 'I feel better now; I should get ready.' He pointed to his bedroom.

Jack beamed. 'Excellent idea, Danny!'

'Thanks,' Danny murmured unenthusiastically, already heading towards his door. He was already late for school.


	2. Chapter 2

Danny picked miserably at his food. He didn't think it was edible.

'Hey, Danny,' Sam greeted as she sat down beside him. 'What's wrong.' She glanced around. 'And where's Tucker?'

Danny sighed and lay his head on the table. After a few seconds, as if he had just remembered Sam's question, he shrugged.

Her chair scraped the ground as Sam shifted her position, trying to see Danny's face.

She frowned. 'What's wrong with _you_today?'

Danny irritably threw himself off the table like a broken puppet. 'I got here late- well, even later than usual- I have too much homework to even begin to think about, and...' Danny's voice trailed off as he put his head down again. 'I don't feel too good,' he continued softly. 'My headache from this morning is back. It's worse this time.'

'Headache?' Sam felt his forehead, much like Maddie had done earlier. 'You don't feel like you have a temperature- maybe you're just tired.'

Danny made a noise of agreement as he raised his head. 'Do you think I could go the nurses office and leave school early? Would anyone notice?'

Sam didn't reply.

'Sam?' Danny asked her, trying to get her attention. She gaped at Danny in shock, before finally regaining her senses.

'Danny!' she whispered angrily. 'Stop that! Someone's going to see you!'

Danny frowned and opened his mouth to say something.

'Dude,' Tucker exclaimed from behind Sam. She whirled around in surprise, then relaxed when she recognize the speaker. 'Why are you doing that? Someone could see you.'

Danny pushed past both his friends as he raced to the bathroom. His head throbbed with every step, finally reaching its peak and subsiding just as he pushed open the bathroom door. Tucker soon followed.

_Great_, Sam thought as she waited outside the door._ I have to stay out here._

Danny frowned as he stared at his reflection- nothing out of the ordinary. What could Sam and Tucker see?


	3. Chapter 3

Danny jumped as the door slammed open, hitting the opposite wall. Tucker entered, looking slightly out of breath. He struggled to regain control of his breathing as he staggered to Danny's side.

'See?' Tucker pointed at Danny's reflection, and then paused.

Danny squinted into the mirror. 'No,' he answered truthfully.

Tucker grabbed Danny's arm. 'Come on,' he said, already on the way to the door. 'Sam's probably waiting in the hall.'

As soon as the door squealed open, Sam straightened up and looked carefully at Danny.

Danny raised his hands in a warding-off gesture. 'Look, guys, I don't know what type of joke you were trying to play, but I don't appreciate it.'

He stormed off to his next class as the bell rang. He didn't want to be late again.

'Wait, Danny!' Sam cried out.

He turned to face her. 'What?' he asked tiredly. 'I have to go. If I'm late Lancer could give me a detention.'

Sam talked hurriedly. 'We weren't playing a joke on you, Danny. Your eyes were glowing- right in the middle of the cafeteria.'

Danny looked at her sceptically. 'I went into the bathroom right after you and Tucker freaked out. I didn't see anything.'

'But, Danny-'Sam protested to a closed classroom door. 'It could be something serious.' She continued quietly, knowing that Danny was already in class. She followed him inside and sat down at her usual desk. Several times, Sam attempted to get Danny's attention, but he firmly ignored her.

It was the longest English lesson of her life.


	4. Chapter 4

Danny silently fumed at Sam and Tucker for the rest of the day. He noticed Sam trying to catch his eye during the last lesson of the day, but Tucker, as usual, seemed oblivious to Danny's resentment. Danny didn't know why he was so angry with the only two friends he had- all they did was play a joke on him. It wasn't even that embarrassing. Dash hadn't teased him about it, and that meant that he probably didn't even notice Danny's undignified escape from the cafeteria. Maybe no one saw it.

Danny's headache flared from all of the thinking. The only reason he saw for his behaviour towards Sam and Tucker was the headache that had plagued him sporadically from the moment he woke. It would start off as a dull throb that gradually grew worse, until it felt like knives were piercing his head…

Then it would just stop. Danny thought back to all of the times that this had happened to him today. The pain inside Danny's head increased as he pondered this.

Giving up, Danny lay his head down on the table- certain that he could actually feel a rhythm emanating from within it.

A small gasp interrupted Lancer's slow lecture- the sound was small, but Danny heard it anyway. His head throbbed a few times in synchronisation to his heartbeat, and then settled down again. Danny grimaced in discomfort.

His head flew up at a loud noise. It took Danny a while to place the sound as the school bell. He was free!

Gathering his books, Danny realised that he was also free from another problem. He started to walk towards Tucker and Sam to tell them the good news.

_Hey, guys!_ Danny began to say. _My headache's gone again!_

But then his face hardened as he remembered what they did to him earlier. It didn't matter if no one had seen him- he had been terrified, and he didn't like feeling scared.

_Sam said they weren't playing a joke on me._ A small part of Danny reminded him.

Danny turned and walked out of the room without them_. I can forgive them tomorrow_, he decided.


	5. Chapter 5

That afternoon was particularly boring. Sam and Tucker avoided him- knowing that was the best solution. That left almost nothing to break up the constant stream of homework that Danny has to struggle through. He almost prayed that some kind of ghost would escape the confines of the Ghost Zone, just so that he would have something to do.

Danny stood from the kitchen table, moving to inspect the contents of the fridge. Most of the food had expired.

Glancing over at his homework, lying open on the table, Danny decided to ignore it- for now, at least.

He plodded wearily towards his room. The stairs looked like a mountain and the muscles in Danny's legs burned as he ascended them.

That's strange, he thought. Why am I so tired? I haven't even seen a ghost in the past week.

The world tilted as Danny fell on top of his bed; he didn't have the energy to climb beneath the covers.

His head throbbed once before he fell into a deep sleep.


	6. Chapter 6

Danny didn't know what woke him. One minute he was asleep, the next he was completely awake. He felt energized, like he could run a marathon and still not be tired. It was a startling change from when he had first collapsed into bed.

Danny threw off the covers and sat on the edge of his bed. A familiar feeling washed over him. He had forgotten something again.

Shaking his head, Danny stood and walked to the door. There he paused. He looked around his room suspiciously one more time.

'Danny!' Maddie yelled. 'Dinner's almost ready- could you please put your schoolwork somewhere else?'

'One second!' Danny replied.

Shaking his head again, Danny walked down the stairs. At the base, realization dawned on him.

He hurriedly ran back to his bedroom.

Why was the bed unmade if he fell asleep on top of the covers?


	7. Chapter 7

Still puzzled, Danny made his way into the kitchen and gathered up his books.

'Hey, Mum?' he started.

'Yes, dear?' Maddie replied, walking towards the oven. A strange smell was coming from inside it.

Danny picked up his books and turned to face her. 'Did you come into my room while I was sleeping?'

'No. Why do you ask that?'

Danny ignored her question. 'Do you know if anyone came into my room?'

Maddie found the blue oven glove she was looking for and began to open the oven. 'No, your father's busy down in the lab, and Jazz has been at the library all afternoon. I've been in the lab for most of the afternoon, too.' Maddie stood up straighter, the oven temporarily forgotten. The smell of burning food wafted through the kitchen. Danny flinched as she looked him straight in the eye. 'Why have you been acting so odd lately?'

Danny shrugged. 'I'll just go put these in my room,' he lifted the massive pile of schoolwork up higher to divert his mother's attention.

Maddie sighed as he left the kitchen. Her sigh turned to a groan of frustration when she heard the sound of some expensive piece of lab equipment being broken, followed by Jack's yell of 'Darn ghosts!'

Danny also heard the shout. Sprinting into his room, he slammed the door shut behind him.

'Going ghost!' he yelled. The familiar blue halos appeared and split, bringing about the transformation.

Danny went invisible and phased through the floor, dropping into the lab only a few seconds before Maddie did.

'Jack!' Maddie exclaimed. 'Where's the ghost?'

Jack looked bewildered. 'Where?' he spun around in a circle. 'I don't see a ghost.'

Maddie sighed in exasperation and walked back out of the lab. 'Dinner's ready.'

'Great!' Jack grinned, galloping after her.

Danny flew back to his room and tried to turn back before either of his parents came looking for him. But the blue rings wouldn't appear. Panic clouded his vision when he heard the sound of Maddie coming up to look for him. A headache pounded behind his eyes.

The footsteps were getting closer. Finally they stopped right outside his door.

'Danny?'


	8. Chapter 8

The doorknob moved and Danny stood there, frozen. He couldn't move at all, the icy fire in his head making his thoughts incoherent. Danny saw the door open slightly, Maddie looking through the gap, before his headache relented and he was able to hide.

Danny ran behind his bed, dropping to the ground. He was too panicked to notice the pale blue flash that lit up his room.

'What was that?' Maddie cried. She ran around the room, looking for Danny. When she finally found him, she paused.

'Danny?' she asked inquisitively, all thoughts of the ghostly light banished from her mind. 'What _are _you doing behind the bed?'

Danny glanced up at her. Why wasn't she attacking him? He looked down at himself. His familiar white and red shirt and blue jeans were covered in dirt from his carpet. He really needed to get it cleaned.

'Well?' Maddie prompted him.

Danny stammered. 'Oh, um… I've been missing this sock!' he quickly retrieved an old sock from beneath his bed. 'It needs a wash.'

Maddie made a face as she took the sock from Danny. 'Where's the other one?' she asked.

Danny ignored her and raced downstairs.

Maddie sighed. 'I worry about him.' She muttered quietly.


	9. Chapter 9

The next morning was much like the previous. Danny woke up feeling horrible, but the sensation disappeared whenever one of his parents walked in. A pattern was beginning to form.

He arrived at school fairly early, eager to make amends with Tucker and Sam. Especially Sam. He couldn't go through another afternoon without one of them to talk to.

'Danny!' Sam called when she spotted him. 'I have to talk to you!'

He nodded at her and they both walked through the school gates. 'What about?'

'First, I have to say sorry for yesterday- neither of us expected you to get so upset about it- and I need to tell you what happened later.'

They together climbed up the steps to the inside of the school.

Sam's voiced dropped as they neared the other students. 'After lunch, in English, I was trying to get your attention so I could apologise.'

_For something I didn't do_, she thought bitterly.

'I don't know what happened, but right before the bell rang, your hair turned white. It was only for a couple of seconds- but I don't know who else saw it.'

Danny looked accusingly at her, but, staring into her eyes, he could see nothing but truth and concern for him. He turned towards his open locker.

'Fen-turd!' Dash yelled. 'Want to meet the inside of your locker?'

Danny didn't even try to argue- it was already too late. The locker was cramped and dark, but also sadly familiar. This incident was an almost daily occurrence. No problem- Danny knew how to get out.

There was no way of knowing where Danny was when he went invisible, so when icy cold hands closed around Sam's mouth, it took her a moment to figure out what was going on.

'Danny,' she complained. 'That isn't funny.'

'Hey, Sam,' Tucker greeted from behind her. 'What's not funny?'

Just as he finished talking, the red beret that was almost permanently fixed to Tucker's head rose a few centimetres into the air, then disappeared.

Danny appeared beside him, laughing. His laughter was cut short, however, by the sound of the bell. He gave the beret back to Tucker, and all three friends sprinted through the rapidly emptying corridors, and burst into the classroom.

'Late again, Mr Fenton, Mr Foley, Miss Manson,' noted Mr Lancer in his smooth and slimy voice. 'Please take your seats so that we may begin the lesson.'

The run had brought about another headache for Danny. He could feel it clouding his thoughts with an opaque sheet of pain.

Throughout the lesson, Danny could feel Sam staring at him. Though, this time, she didn't look apologetic- as with the previous afternoon- she looked calculating, as if Danny was a mystery that she couldn't solve.


	10. Chapter 10

Danny was staring at his lunch again, just thinking. He couldn't imagine eating- he felt too queasy. Tucker and Sam sat opposite him.

'Are you going to eat anything, or are you just going to look at your food until it disappears?' Sam asked in her usual sarcastic manner.

He shrugged.

Tucker raised his hand for attention. 'I'll get rid of it for you,' he offered.

Danny pushed his lunch across the table to where Tucker was seated.

'What's wrong?' Sam asked Danny. 'You've been quiet all day- all week, in fact.'

He didn't reply.

Sam leant forward, placing her elbows on the table. 'Are you still getting those headaches?'

She had to really concentrate, but Sam thought she saw him nod. Meanwhile, Tucker had almost completely demolished both his and Danny's lunches. Sam's lip curled in disgust as she witnessed this display of bad table manners.

'But not just the headaches,' Danny finally spoke. Sam jumped in shock at hearing his voice. She hadn't been expecting it. 'The rest of my body is burning as well.'

Sam looked at him thoughtfully. 'Describe the feeling.'

Danny looked at some far away place over Tucker's head as he thought. Sam was about to ask him if he was alright when the ghost boy began to speak.

'It's as if... I don't know- this is going to sound really stupid- but... It's like there's this pressure building inside me, but I don't know how to let it out.'

Sam let her breath out in a long whoosh of air. She didn't know what to make of that.

'Could it be a new ghost power?' she questioned, lowering her voice.

Danny threw his hands up in annoyance. 'I don't know. I guess I'll have to wait and find out.'

'Is there any way of knowing now?' Tucker finally joined the conversation- all food now obliterated from his plates.

Danny looked thoughtful. 'I could ask Frostbite- he knew what was happening last time...'

Sam stood from the table- obviously expecting the bell to ring soon. 'So it's decided, then,' she declared. 'Danny will go into the Ghost Zone this afternoon and find out what's wrong with him.'

Danny and Tucker were left sitting in the cafeteria, looking bewildered.

Tucker spoke first. 'No choice now, dude- you have to do it.'

Danny nodded in resignation. 'I will.' He didn't fancy the idea of going into the Ghost Zone feeling as bad as he did, but Sam could be very stubborn.

**AN:**

**Merry Christmas!**


	11. Chapter 11

'Ok,' Danny hesitated in front of the ghost portal. 'Wish me luck.'

Sam and Tucker didn't reply. They had seen Danny enter the Ghost Zone countless times- but that didn't make it any easier to watch. By now, they understood that each time he disappeared into that swirling green land, he was almost literally surrendering himself to the ghosts that inhabited it. They knew the area better than he did.

Blue rings of light encompassed Danny, revealing his other identity.

Phantom smiled confidently, but both Sam and Tucker could see how much his body was hurting him.

Phantom turned and flew into the centre of the spiralling portal. He actually felt better now than he had all day. There was something relaxing about just floating, with nothing between him and the non-existent ground of the Ghost Zone. He couldn't think of why he would want to revert back to the plain and boringly human form of Danny Fenton.

The ghost boy stopped suddenly, floating amid a sea of purple doors.

_Where did that thought come from_? He wondered.

Shaking off the uneasy feeling that had been occurring regularly in the past few days, Danny continued on his way to the land of the Far Frozen.

Several times had Danny been lost in the Ghost Zone- sometimes on his own, and sometimes with Sam and Tucker. Luckily, this was not one of those times. Danny didn't feel up to flying that much further when he finally saw the stunning ice peaks that set the land of the Far Frozen apart from most of the other locations in the Ghost Zone.

_Finally_, he thought wearily. _A rest._

Frostbite was waiting for him when Danny arrived. That was a puzzle that never failed to intrigue Danny- how did Frostbite always know when the halfa was coming?

'Great One!' Frostbite boomed. The large yeti smiled a smile that reminded Danny of his own father, before the ice disappeared and Danny succumbed to the fatigue that clung to his mind like a damp woollen blanket.


	12. Chapter 12

Danny woke feeling energized. He hadn't changed back to Fenton, as he usually did when as tired as he had been when Frostbite had carried him to the infirmary. Danny spared a passing thought to this, but the anomaly left his mind when he remembered his reason for visiting.

Danny pushed himself out of bed, feeling better than before he entered the Ghost Zone. The journey had been Hell, but Danny relished being Phantom again. He hadn't fought a proper ghost in close to a month. The Box Ghost didn't count- Danny liked a challenge.

Frostbite was waiting outside the infirmary for Danny.

'It is good to see you awake, Great One,' Frostbite greeted in his smooth, growling voice. He bowed his head respectfully. 'What is it that you came for?'

Danny yawned and smiled at the massive yeti. 'Hey, Frostbite. I need to ask you something.'

The fur covered his facial features, but Danny saw his friend's smile drop. 'Does this have anything to do with you collapsing on our door?'

Danny nodded. 'I haven't been my best lately,' he began, choosing his words carefully. 'I've been getting headaches and nausea.'

Frostbite looked puzzled. 'But you're the ghost boy, the Great One! You can't be sick!'

'I know,' Danny moaned, pacing across the snow. His boots crunched, and Danny marvelled at how similar ghost snow was to real snow. 'I guess I have been lucky, though- I've had no proper ghost attacks for a long time.'

Frostbite folded his arms, then balanced his chin in his left hand- the one composed almost entirely of ice. 'I regret to say that I cannot help you.'

He cut Danny's protests off by raising his right hand. Both he and Danny began to walk in the general direction of the Fenton Ghost Portal, passing other yetis that whispered as they walked by. 'Don't worry, Great One- you will understand. But, for now, I'm afraid that I would only make matters worse.'

They reached the area that Danny usually left the land of the Far Frozen by. It was an unremarkable piece of ice to the untrained eye, but this location was very special to Frostbite's people.

Danny glowered, ready to leave. Frostbite placed one large hand on the ghost boy's shoulder to stop him.

'Farewell, Great One. May your journey be swift.'


	13. Chapter 13

No one was waiting on the other side of the portal when Danny got back. For the first time, Danny wondered how long he had spent in the Ghost Zone.

'Danny? Is that you?' Maddie yelled from somewhere above Danny's head.

'Yes,' he yelled back.

'Where have you been?'

Ignoring her last question, Danny summoned the blue halos of light that guided his transformation from boy to ghost and back again.

In an uncharacteristic moment of deep thinking, Danny wondered: Who is the real me? Am I meant to be a ghost or a boy?

Wow, he then thought, shocked. I've been spending way to much time with Sam.

He walked up the stairs. His headache was gone and his footsteps felt light. A small smile creeped its way onto his face.

He reached the top of the lab stairs at the same time as his mother.

Her eyes widened and she pulled a small ecto-gun from her blue jumpsuit. 'Jack!' She called. 'Ghost!'

Maddie lifted the gun and pointed it at Danny. Danny froze. He was sure that he had reverted back to human form. He could distinctly remember the light rings covering him. But, peering down, Danny could see his black jumpsuit. The upside-down symbol on his chest seemed to be laughing at him.

It obviously didn't realize the danger he was in- the only reason that Danny wasn't already locked up in the lab was because Maddie was waiting for Jack to arrive. She was considerate like that.

'Don't move, ghost,' she growled. 'It would take me less than a second to destroy your afterlife.'

Danny didn't think that he could move, even if he wanted to.

'I'm here, Maddie!' Jack yelled exuberantly as he rounded the corner. 'I'll-'

There was a loud exhale of air as Jack tripped over and landed on the floor behind his wife.

'Jack,' Maddie turned to scold him. 'What _are_ you doing- we have a ghost to catch! This is no time for your foolishness!'

She span back to Danny, but the ghost boy had disappeared while she was distracted.

Her face registered nothing but shock, and then it tightened in anger. 'Come on, Jack- he's still here somewhere!' She cried.


	14. Chapter 14

'What's wrong with me?' Danny muttered from his position on the bed. Jack and Maddie had left a few minutes ago, but nothing could turn Danny Phantom back to Fenton.

He clenched and unclenched his fists repeatedly, then stood and walked to the mirror.

He stopped in front of it and concentrated. Staring deep into the glowing eyes of his reflection, he focused on turning them blue. Nothing happened for a few seconds, then Danny's concentration broke as his hair turned a glossy black.

Danny grinned- it was a start. His grin dropped when, strand by strand, his hair lost its colour and reverted back to the silvery white form that Danny was really starting to hate. It was that hair that had gotten his parents running around town looking for him- or rather, looking for Phantom.

In his frustration, Danny kicked out at his bed. It shuddered with the force of Danny's anger, making a loud rumbling noise.

The ghost boy paused. Was anyone home? Did they just hear that?

When no one came up to investigate, Danny concluded that Jazz must be at the library- where else would she be at this time? Danny glanced at the digital clock beside his bed- it wasn't even 6 o'clock, yet.

Sighing, Danny turned back to the mirror to try again. His reflection smiled at him.

Danny paused. He wasn't smiling.


	15. Chapter 15

'Ah!' Danny screamed in shock. His reflection didn't move- it just stared at him with the eerie glowing eyes that they both shared. Then, it raised its hand in a small wave. Danny was terrified. What had happened to his reflection?

The boy in the mirror seemed to inspect its surroundings before stepping out of its home. It walked slowly towards Danny, each step loud and deliberate. It creeped Danny out to see himself walking towards him. This wasn't like when he duplicated himself- the duplicates he could control, the reflection seemed just as real as Danny.

It stopped its progression in front of Danny. The reflection smiled, looking pleased with itself, and then it flew towards the real ghost boy.

Danny screamed as loud as he could, but the reflection went intangible at the last possible second, being absorbed into the real Danny. The screaming stopped, and Danny's eyes flashed even brighter, before fading back to their usual colour.

Locked up in an inescapable part of his mind, Danny panicked. Nothing seemed to be working. Finally, he calmed down enough to speak.

'Who are you?' He asked. The reflection didn't answer straight away.

When Danny was about to ask again, it spoke. Not aloud- the reflection seemed to communicate to Danny through some sort of telepathic connection.

_I am your ghost half, _it said. Its voice was similar to Danny's, but it had an echoing quality. _And I am sick of being a part of you- now; you will be a part of me!_

If Danny still had any control over his body, his face would have creased in confusion. As it was, his- or really, the reflection's- expression didn't change.

'What are you talking about? How can you be my ghost half? This has _never_ happened before!' Danny fretted.

_I am known as Danny Phantom. I am summoned whenever it is convenient to you- I am like your prisoner, you allow me only small breaks from the monotony that is my existence. And, lately, those breaks have become smaller. Soon, I fear, I would never be released. I would be forgotten._

Danny's stomach dropped. 'That isn't my fault! I never knew you were there! And you can't blame me for the drop in ghost attacks lately.'

If anyone had chanced to look in the window, they would have seen Danny Phantom, the ghost boy, staring into the mirror. His face was as blank as a clean sheet of paper, nothing in his outward appearance even hinted of the internal struggle that was being fought within.

Phantom chuckled. _It is your fault._ He contradicted Danny. _You are allowing the ghosts to roam freely in the Ghost Zone. Because of that, they no longer want to visit our world. _His voice sounded sulky. _I'm bored._

Danny wanted to wave his arms around and yell to prove his point, but he had to settle with just yelling. 'You're_ bored?!_' Danny screamed incredulously. 'I'm stuck in here because you're _bored_?' He hesitated, a new question entering his mind. 'How did you get into my mirror?'

_You have heard of the saying: the eyes are the gateway to the soul?_

'No.'

Phantom sighed in frustration. _Well, anyway, you are no exception to this- only I took the saying to be more literal than how it was first intended._

Danny was puzzled.

_You see, when you looked into the mirror, you were concentrating so hard that it was possible for me to escape. You were looking into my eyes, remember?_

'But… how?' the ghost boy asked, bewildered.

Phantom was confused with his other half's answer. _I just told you how._

Danny struggled to phrase his next question. 'No, I mean… we're the same person and-'

_We are not the same person. _Phantom interrupted coldly. A beam of pure white light shot out of his eyes and hit the mirror in front of him. Danny's body, now being controlled by Phantom, walked over to the shattered remains of the mirror. Though millions of glass shards pointed towards him, Phantom didn't show up in any of the pieces. Danny had lost both his body and his reflection.


	16. Chapter 16

Imprisoned inside of himself, Danny raged. He was more terrified than he had ever been, not even when fighting Pariah Dark- the most powerful ghost to inhabit the Ghost Zone. The worst that Pariah could do was kill Danny, but Phantom was going to take over his life and make Danny watch.

The ghost boy was trapped- all of his senses were still attached to his body; he could see and hear, but he could do nothing to control his actions.

Phantom already knew how to change back and forth between ghost and human form, so when Maddie and Jack Fenton arrived back at Fenton Works, exhausted from their pointless hunt, they found their son, Danny waiting for them. Of course, it wasn't really Danny.

When night came, Phantom put up a terrible proposition for Danny to consider.

_I think that your parents deserve to know the truth about you_. Phantom thought calmly, watching the shadows play on the ceiling above his bed.

'Are you kidding me?' Danny yelled at his ghost half. 'You say that you've been here for as long as I have had ghost powers- shouldn't you know by now that telling my parents is a _bad idea_? They would tear us apart 'molecule by molecule'. You heard my dad.'

_They could be useful to me_, Phantom mused.

Danny was almost shocked into silence. Almost.

'What,' he spoke- or thought- quietly. 'What are you planning to do?'

Phantom snorted_. As if I would tell you_! He laughed.

Then he fell asleep, leaving Danny to dwell on what his other half could have meant.

Phantom's idea- telling Danny's ghost-hunter parents that their son was part ghost- could never end well. If Danny somehow survived this nightmare, having his parents knowing his secret could ruin his family. If he didn't survive- it would probably be because his parents dissected him 'in the name of science.'

And what did Phantom mean by: _they could be useful to me?_

Danny knew that he would get no sleep tonight.


	17. Chapter 17

'Danny!' Sam called out to her best friend as he entered the school gates. 'Wait!'

Phantom stopped and turned to watch her approach. He recognized the Goth walking towards him, but had to consult Danny for her name.

The halfa smiled at his other half's best friend. 'Hey.'

'Hey,' Sam greeted. 'You're here early- what gives?'

Phantom shrugged. 'I just felt like a change.'

He smiled hesitantly. Would Sam notice the change in Danny's behaviour? Phantom hoped not, while the trapped ghost boy prayed for this scenario to occur.

Phantom was luckier- Sam suspected nothing. Together, they walked to their lockers. Right on time, Dash sauntered up behind Phantom.

'Have you lost your underpants this morning?' Dash asked. 'I'll help you find them, Fen-toenail!'

Phantom had no way of knowing what Dash was doing- he obviously didn't pay much attention to Danny's life when Danny had been in control of it.

As his underwear was pulled up as high as it could possibly stretch, Phantom twirled- punching Dash in the side of the head.

The punch wasn't hard enough to cause any permanent damage, but it allowed Phantom and Sam to escape.

Students gawked at the pair when they walked away from the stunned bully. Phantom spun around as a hand landed on his shoulder. His hands clenched into fists, looking for a fight.

'Woah, dude,' Tucker exclaimed, holding his hands in surrender. 'Calm down. That was awesome back there!' He pointed behind him, looking impressed.

Phantom shrugged as if what he'd done was no big deal.

'Oh!' Sam suddenly cried out. 'We forgot our books.'

They looked at the crowd surrounding their lockers. Sam looked at Phantom expectantly.

'What?' Phantom asked.

Sam gestured to their lockers. 'Go get our books.'

The ghost boy was confused. 'How?'

Tucker looked at him with a weird expression. 'What's wrong, dude- it's not as if you haven't done this before.'

Phantom grinned uneasily. 'Right...'

He walked slowly into the dense crowd of students, then backed off. There had to be an easier way to do this.

_Danny_? He asked. _Can you help?_

The half-human snorted in contempt. 'Yes.'

Phantom waited for him to continue. _Are you going to help?_

'No.'

Phantom mentally sighed, and then walked back to Sam and Tucker. 'How long until the bell goes?'

Tucker checked his PDA. 'Almost ten minutes.'

Sam whistled quietly. 'You _are_ early today, Danny.'

Phantom glanced back over his shoulder. 'Could we just wait for them to leave?'

Sam was beginning to get annoyed- there was something... _off_ about Danny today. 'What are you talking about!' she whispered furiously. 'Just phase in, get our stuff, and phase back! Are you feeling alright?'

'Y-yeah,' Phantom stammered. Being Danny was harder than he had imagined. He wondered if Danny also lost track of his thoughts when the Goth's amethyst eyes were locked on his own. They were a beautiful shade of purple.

Not wanting to disappoint her, Phantom left to grab their books. As he handed Sam what she needed to get through the morning, Tucker cleared his throat noisily. 'Could you get mine, too?' He asked irritably

Phantom looked at the crowd. Mr Lancer had arrived and was trying to quickly disperse the students. Everyone ignored him.

'I, uh,' Sam began. 'I think we should get out of here before Dash wakes up fully.' She grabbed Danny's arm. Her touch made Phantom's face flare as red as a tomato. Luckily, no one seemed to notice.

'But,' Tucker protested as he was herded away from Mr Lancer. 'My books!'

Both Phantom and Sam ignored him.

**AN:**

**i just got my best friend to read this without knowing that it was me who wrote it.**

***sighs sarcastically* honest answers are the best, aren't they GABBY!**


	18. Chapter 18

_I don't think this is edible_, Phantom commented- unknowingly mirroring what Danny had thought just two days ago.

Danny grunted in response.

Sam and Tucker remained silent. They could sense that Danny wasn't himself. Sam thought about his behaviour- trying to figure out what was wrong.

_Frostbite probably couldn't help, _she concluded. That meant that he was still getting those headaches that he had been complaining about. She decided to question him on it. Tucker wouldn't do it- he was too busy with his technology to worry about anything else.

Sam shuffled closer to Phantom so that their conversation could be more private. She was hurt when she saw the muscles in his back tighten, but decided to shrug it off. She placed a hand on his shoulder.

'Danny, could I speak to you?'

Phantom nodded, but didn't say anything. He swivelled around to face her. That was a mistake. Now, if she asked anything serious, Phantom knew that he wouldn't be able to lie to her.

She focused her pale purple eyes onto his sky blue ones. 'Are you still getting those headaches?'

Phantom was caught off-guard. That wasn't what he had thought she would say. He didn't know what he was expecting, but that wasn't it.

'No,' he answered, a bit louder than was necessary. 'I'm fine.'

He went back to toying with his lunch. Tucker glanced over at them.

'Clueless,' he muttered. Sam glared at him.

Phantom had thought that their conversation was over. Apparently not.

'Did you find Frostbite last night?' Sam queried. 'Sorry, we had to leave. Something came up.'

'We got bored,' Tucker interjected.

'Tucker!' Sam hissed quietly. 'That's not the reason!'

The techno-geek returned to his PDA. 'It was _my_ reason.' He muttered under his breath.

The Goth glared at Tucker, who squirmed miserably under its intensity. Trapped inside of Phantom, Danny longed to be able to add something to the conversation. He and Sam would gang up against Tucker- there was no way that Danny would risk getting in Sam's bad-books, for several reasons. Her combat boots, for a start.

Fortunately for Phantom, the argument seemed to have distracted Sam from the previous conversation, allowing him escape from the difficult questions that he knew had been coming. Although he had existed with Danny for months, Phantom had no idea of how he was supposed to act if he didn't want to raise anyone's suspicions. He mentally cursed himself for his lack of focus.

The real Danny laughed, able to hear Phantom's thoughts. They were quite similar to his own.


	19. Chapter 19

Danny could be quite annoying when he wanted to. And, being stuck inside his own head, Danny had nothing else to do but irritate his ghost half.

'Wake up!' he yelled when Phantom's head fell during Mr Lancer's lesson. Phantom jumped out of his seat, but sat down quickly, hoping that Lancer hadn't noticed. The overweight teacher was fairly strict about those kinds of antics in his classroom.

'Mr Fenton,' Lancer spoke quietly, but it still seemed to reach all corners of the room. _'What_ were you doing out of your chair?'

The whispers that served as a constant background noise in all of Lancer's classes died down, every student eager to see what Danny's fate would be.

Phantom's mind was blank- he didn't know what to say. 'Err…'

'Detention, Mr Fenton.'

Phantom groaned, but Mr Lancer wasn't finished. 'And perhaps, while you are there, you would care to inform me as to what happened to Mr Baxter this morning.'

The whispers started again when Lancer turned back to the board. They didn't stop until the bell finally went for the end of the day.

Tucker patted Phantom's back as every student filed out of the room, leaving Phantom behind. Danny had been in detention countless times, but this was the first time that Phantom had experienced it.

Lancer sat at his desk, looking important and doing nothing but watching Danny. Phantom squirmed under the teacher's gaze, not knowing what to do.

Danny cut in with his thoughts. 'You know… you claim to be different to me, but I got a detention from Lancer on my first day, too.'

Phantom's jaw clenched, and Danny knew that he'd found a sore spot in Phantom's existence.

_Shut up._

'I'm right, and you know it. You're just a copy of me- if I hadn't gone into the Ghost Portal, you wouldn't exist.'

Danny took bitter delight in torturing Phantom. He felt an insane urge to clap his hands together in joy. Phantom's hands twitched.

Danny paused. _Was that me?_ He wondered; hope lighting up his insides like a warm drink.

Lancer interrupted both Phantom and Danny's thoughts. 'Mr Fenton, would you please tell me what happened this morning between you and Mr Baxter. He had to go home today with a mild concussion,' the teacher looked at his student with morbid curiosity gleaming in his eyes. 'I heard that you caused it.'

Phantom opened his mouth to protest.

'I will save you the trouble of answering, Mr Fenton,' Lancer interrupted, raising his voice slightly. 'I have several witnesses that recall you punching the school's star quarterback. You are lucky that we have no football game this week.'

Mr Lancer pointed menacingly at Phantom. 'But, if Mr Baxter is not prepared to play next week_, you_ will replace him.'

Lancer bowed his head dismissively. 'You may go.'

Phantom left- feeling more confused than anything- but Danny knew the consequences if Dash was unable to participate in the game next week. If Phantom thought this morning's bullying was bad- just wait until Dash got back to school.


	20. Chapter 20

'Danny! Come and have a look at my latest invention!' Jack hollered triumphantly when he heard Phantom enter the house.

The half-ghost sighed, hoping that it would be quick.

Jack didn't stop talking as Phantom descended the stairs.

'I came up with the idea for this invention during lunch!' he raised the small vial of glowing orange liquid above his head. 'I thought-'

'Dad?' Phantom interrupted. 'What does it do?'

'Oh… this,' Jack stumbled for words and lowered the invention. 'This is a… a…'

He stopped and looked puzzled. 'I don't know _what_ this is. But I know what it does!'

Phantom frowned in annoyance. 'So what _does_ it do? 'Cause I have homework and…' he trailed off, shrugging helplessly.

'Of course, Danny!' the old ghost hunter boomed, his usual jolly attitude returning. 'Have to keep the school happy.'

Phantom and Danny mentally rolled their eyes.

'What does it do?' Phantom repeated.

'This little concoction is a smaller version of the Fenton Ghost Catcher. The Fenton Ghost Catcher is just so big, you know, so I thought- why not make a smaller one?' He continued in a softer voice. 'Plus, I kind of broke the other one- don't tell your mother!'

'Thanks for showing me, Dad,' Phantom yelled as he made his way up the stairs.

_That was pointless,_ he thought.

'I agree,' Danny muttered.

His bedroom door closed behind them with a loud bang. Danny winced, hoping that his dad wouldn't come up looking for ghosts.

'What are you going to do?' Danny asked. 'You know that we don't have homework.'

Phantom spun around and pointed accusingly to where the broken shards of mirror littered the carpet.

'Firstly,' he shouted, out loud. 'It is _not 'we'-_ it's I! And secondly, why do I have to tell you? You will find out eventually.'

Danny, seeing the opportunity for some teasing, went with it.

'Aw,' he said gently, as if he was talking to an out-of-control toddler who wanted an ice-cream. 'Is someone hiding secrets from _themselves_?'

_'I am not like you_!' Phantom screamed.

Jack's voice wafted upstairs like a bad smell. 'Danny? Is there someone up there?'

Phantom's face paled. 'N- no,' he stuttered. 'Just me.'

Although the two ghost boys couldn't see their father, both could hear the frown in his voice.

'That's strange... I could have sworn I heard you talking to someone.'

The sound of his heavy boots retreated to the lab. Phantom sighed in relief.

''Just me',' Danny chuckled. 'That's actually pretty accurate.'

Phantom glowered, then suddenly started to chuckle along with Danny. He immediately clamped his hands over his mouth, shock registering on his face

'See?' Danny asked patronizingly. 'You _are_ me.'


	21. Chapter 21

'I am the Box Ghost!'

Sam rolled over and unsuccessfully tried to drown out the nasal voice of the least scary ghost in the Ghost Zone. She couldn't remember the last time she had to fight the overweight piece of ectoplasm.

The Box Ghost continued, apparently not caring that Sam was firmly ignoring him. 'And I have news of a danger that's threatening the Ghost Zone!'

Sam shot out of bed, her black pyjamas creased and wrinkled.

'Danger?' She asked. 'What is it?'

For if something was putting the Ghost Zone at risk, the Earth would go too.

'Not what- who!' The Box Ghost exclaimed, wiggling his fingers above his head in a pathetic fashion. 'Your friend- Danny Phantom!'

With one last 'beware!' The Box Ghost flew towards the wall next to the window. His head made a loud thudding noise as it hit the obstructing object.

If Sam had been the type, she would now be giggling in the floor at this clumsy display. As it was, she smiled a little.

The Box Ghost tried again. 'Beware!' He shouted before flying into the same piece of wall. This time, he made it through.

Sam sat down on the edge of her large bed to think.

A few minutes later, she and Tucker were standing in the doorway of Fenton Works, wondering how the hell they were supposed to get in.

'There must be a key around here somewhere,' she muttered. Tucker was already searching the area. He has never bothered to look down here when he came to visit Danny, and so he was surprised to notice that the area in front of the door was covered in small grey tiles.

They might have been white once, but Tucker doubted that the doorway had been cleaned since Jack and Maddie bought the building.

As Tucker reached up to feel on top of the door for the key, his boot stubbed against a raised tile. Abandoning what he was doing, Tucker bent down to get a closer look.

This tile was about half a centimetre higher than the rest, but it was near the edge of the doorway, where people wouldn't notice it. Tucker carefully pried the dirty grey tile out of the floor. Beneath it rested a small silver key.

'I've found it!' He whispered to Sam, who abandoned her search of the windows to rush to where Tucker was now fitting the key into the door.

'Where was it?' She asked quietly.

Tucker pointed to a space of floor with a missing tile- he didn't want to get back and realize that he didn't know where the key was meant to be hidden. Then the door opened.

It didn't creak, like in scary movies, but the house- covered in junk and ghost hunting equipment- made the Goth feel uneasy. A place looks so different in the dark.

'We have to find Danny,' Sam whispered. 'Come on.'

Both teenagers knew what they would find when they slowly opened the door to Danny's room.

It was empty.

**AN:**

**Gabby and i are friends again. she agreed to watch some funny dp videos. i have a feeling that she didn't watch them, though.**

**i really do like honest reviews, so please tell me how i can improve.**


	22. Chapter 22

'What are we doing?' Danny asked curiously as Phantom phased through the house and into the lab. The house was silent- all of its residents had fallen asleep; except one.

Phantom stepped up to the swirling green portal and just stood there for a few minutes, staring.

'Err... Um, other me?' Danny questioned Phantom, knowing that it would infuriate his ghost half. 'Could you answer my question, please?'

Danny wasn't a genius like his sister, but he was a good strategist- skills like that came in handy when ghost-fighting. Imprisoned in his own mind with no one else to talk to but his grumpy other half, Danny had a lot of time to think- and to annoy Phantom.

Soon, Danny had noticed a pattern in his controller's behaviour. It seemed to take a small amount of effort for Phantom to maintain his form. His concentration slipped when annoyed or scared, allowing Danny in.

'Now,' the original ghost boy wondered. 'How can I use this to my advantage?'

Danny directed his next thought to Phantom. 'Hello? Earth to ghost boy?'

Before he could prevent it, a stray thought slipped out of Phantom's mind. _I always wanted to be an astronaut._

'Hey!' Danny called with exaggerated enthusiasm. 'Me too!'

Phantom growled. A few seconds passed by in silence before Fenton broke it.

'What are we doing?'

Phantom stepped through the portal and emerged on the other side. _These ghosts have no right to be here._

Danny would have frowned- if he had been able to. 'What?'

'You heard me,' Phantom said audibly. 'Ghosts shouldn't exist.'

'Aren't WE a ghost?' Danny interrupted.

Phantom continued as if Danny hadn't uttered a single word. 'Ghosts are an anomaly that was caused by accident. They have no right to be here, or in Amity Park, or anywhere else.' His voice rose. 'They should all be destroyed before they cause irreversible damage.'

Danny was confused. 'Anomaly?'

Phantom sighed in frustration and anger. Sensing an opportunity, Danny fought to regain control of his body. This time, he wouldn't fail.

**AN:**

**my mum is kicking me off the computer. apparently i spend too much time on it...**


	23. Chapter 23

Tucker stopped at the base of the stairs and studied the lab wildly.

'Did you hear that?' He asked of Sam. She stepped into the lab behind him.

'Hear what?'

'I thought I heard a-' Tucker was cut off by a piercing scream.

'Scream.' He finished lamely.

Sam was already running to the portal. 'It came from in here.'

'I don't think we should go in there,' Tucker warned. The Goth ignored him and went through the swirling green door.

Sighing, Tucker grabbed the Fenton Fisher.

He wrapped it a few times around the closest table leg, then tied it expertly. He hoped it wouldn't come undone.

Taking a deep breath, Tucker mentally prepared himself. It wasn't his first time in the Ghost Zone, but that scream hadn't sounded pleasant. He had to get Sam.

No matter how long he waited, nothing could prepare Tucker for the sight that greeted his eye on the other side of the portal.

Danny was floating about 3 meters away, writhing in pain. Sam was next to Tucker, unable to move to help Danny, stuck on the thin ledge of the portal. She was screaming at the ghost boy, words that Tucker couldn't make out. Suddenly, Danny stopped moving.

He floated for a couple of seconds, facing away from his friends.

Sam and Tucker breathed a sigh of relief, but that relief was short-lived.

Phantom turned to face them. His entire body shook as if he was suffering from a seizure, but the worst thing was his eyes.

Instead of the glowing green that Sam had grown to like, his eyes were radiant orbs of pure white energy. They hurt to look at.

_'I am not like you_,' Phantom hissed.

Sam and Tucker were entranced. Phantom's eyes mystified them and they found themselves unable to move- they were paralysed.

'I _AM NOT_ YOU!' Phantom suddenly screamed, his face creasing in anger, but still, his eyes didn't change. If anything, they glowed brighter, seeming to light up the entire Ghost Zone.

Twin beams of energy shot at Sam and Tucker. Frozen, the pair could do nothing to prevent the inevitable.


	24. Chapter 24

The beams hit the ledge next to Sam. Tucker could do nothing but scream out her name before she was catapulted through the Ghost Zone.

Phantom shuddered and his eyes closed. 'Sam!' Danny yelled.

His eyes, when he opened them, terrified Tucker beyond what he had previously thought possible. One pale white orb of energy resided beside Danny Fenton's sky blue iris, making his face look as if it had been split in half. On one side was the crazy ghost who had shot Sam off into the Ghost Zone, on the other, the boy that Tucker had been friends with since forever.

The internal battle inside of the ghost boy ceased as both Danny and Phantom united for one purpose- save Sam.

They shot off, leaving Tucker standing on the ledge, holding the Fenton Fisher and looking confused.

Danny didn't say anything as Phantom flew towards the rapidly retreating figure of Sam. This was his fault. If he hadn't decided to fight Phantom, then the ghost wouldn't have become so powerful, and -even if Sam and Tucker hadn't been there- who knows what Phantom could have done to the whole of the Ghost Zone with his power-boost.

That lead Danny to wonder how Sam and Tucker came to be in the Ghost Zone. Phantom hadn't said anything to either one of them- or anyone else, for that matter. And neither one of them had a key to his house.

He dismissed this as unimportant. Right now, he needed to make sure Sam didn't get hurt.

Sam screamed again. 'Danny!'

Phantom was now close enough to see her face- she looked horrified. What of? Him?

Desperation leant him strength as he chased Sam past hundreds of purple doors, finally catching her. Sam cringed at his face and would have tried to get away, if Phantom wasn't the only... _Thing_ between her being stuck in the Ghost Zone for the rest of her life, or returning home to live in relative safety. As long as she was near Phantom, Sam was never really safe. She hadn't cared about this- until now.

Phantom looked down as Sam went limp in his arms. He glanced up. If he focused _really_ hard, Phantom could just make out the shape of the Fenton Ghost Portal- the machine that brought him into existence. Not for the first time, Phantom wondered if he really was just a cheap rip-off of Danny Fenton- an anomaly; not meant to exist.

Danny, wisely, didn't comment. Phantom's eyes gradually faded back to normal- or, as normal as glowing green eyes could be.

Tucker wasn't at the portal when Phantom and Sam got there.

Sparing one long look at Sam's peaceful face, Phantom wondered if he would ever see it like this again. She looked so unguarded.

Phantom carried her through the portal. He looked up in surprise as a guttural war cry echoed through the labs.

Tucker ran towards him, an ecto-blaster cradled in his trembling hands. He aimed it at Phantom's face.

The ghost chuckled dryly. 'You can't shoot that- you'll hit Sam.'

Tucker hesitated.

'You're not Danny!' He finally yelled. Phantom smiled- someone reflected his opinion. 'Danny _cares_ for Sam, and would do anything for her!'

The real Danny mentally smiled, while Phantom lost his. They both knew that Phantom would give his existence for the dark-haired Goth girl.

Tucker dropped the ecto-blaster and ran around the lab, looking for something that would hurt Phantom, while keeping Sam safe.

'What does this do?' He asked holding up Jack's latest invention- the small vial of orange liquid.

Phantom's eyes widened.

Tucker's face settled into an expression of determination. 'That's all the answer I need.'

He opened the tube and ran towards the Phantom. When he was close enough, Tucker flung the liquid into the ghost's face.

'No!' Phantom yelled as he tripped backwards out of Fenton, landing halfway between the Ghost Zone and the human world. 'I am _not_ him!'

Danny placed Sam gently onto the floor. As he bent over, another ghost was left behind in his place. Danny and Tucker gaped at this new Phantom.

'If that's your ghost half,' Tucker began. He pointed at the calm ghost, and then his attention shifted to the raging ghost that was struggling to get out of the ghost portal. 'Then what's that?'

'I don't know,' Danny said as he fused back together with his ghost half. Apparently, Jack still needed to work on his invention- the effects were only temporary. Danny sighed in relief. 'But I'm gonna find out.'

'I am not you!' Phantom yelled as Danny approached him. 'We are opposites in so many ways! I am _nothing_ like you.'

Danny smiled. 'You're right- we _are_ opposites in many ways- but there is still _one_ similarity.'

Phantom looked up at him fearfully.

The halfa leant down and whispered in Phantom's ear. 'You are still me.'

Turning back to his friends, Danny grinned. 'I think I know what it is.'


	25. Chapter 25

The tired trio were sitting at their usual booth in Amity Park's favourite teenage hang-out- Nasty Burger. All of their food had been polished off, leaving nothing but empty wrappers behind.

'So, let me get this straight,' Sam said, placing her elbows on the table and staring into Danny's eyes. 'All of yesterday, you were being possessed by your _reflection_?'

Danny nodded. 'Yes- but it didn't know it was my reflection; it thought it was my ghost half.'

Sam looked sceptical, but then Tucker joined the conversation.

'Now that it's gone, you won't do the freaky eyes again, will you?' He asked hesitantly.

Danny sighed and looked down at his lap. 'No, Tucker.'

'And do you have something to say to me?'

The ghost boy looked up at the Techno-geek in confusion. 'Like what?'

Tucker sighed and leant onto the table, like Sam was doing. Danny felt like he was being interrogated.

'Oh, I don't know, dude,' Tucker asked in exasperation. 'What about 'thank you, my best friend in the whole world! Without you, I would still be trapped inside my own body!' _That_ kind of thing.'

Danny grunted in annoyance.

'Thank you, my incredibly irritating friend! Without you, I wouldn't be able to walk off and leave you sitting here alone.'

Tucker frowned. 'I'm not alone. Sam is-

'Hey!' He protested when Sam walked out of the booth with Danny. 'Not fair!'

A heavy hand fell onto Danny's shoulder as he walked out. The grip was painful.

'Hey, _Fenton_, where are you and your girlfriend off to now?'

The pair were about to argue when Dash interrupted them. 'Oh, shut it- everyone knows.

'Besides, that's not what I came here for.'

Dash focused all of his attention on Danny. 'You're lucky that I can still play football. I considered making you play, but then I thought 'why should I _help_ my team lose.' He leant in so close to Danny, that the ghost boy could smell his breath. His nose wrinkled involuntarily.

'Do that again,' Dash threatened. 'And you're dead.'

'Wow,' Sam remarked once the bully was at a safe distance. 'You must've really scared him.'

Danny shrugged dismissively.

'So,' He asked once they were outside of the restaurant. 'Where to?'

The Goth yawned. 'Bed,' she stated firmly. 'I'm still tired from last night.'

The ghost boy shrugged. 'Ok… do you want me to walk you?'

Sam looked up into his startling blue eyes. She wanted to be alone, but she wanted to be with Danny- she didn't know what she wanted.

'No,' she decided. 'I'll be fine.'

Danny tried to cover up his hurt by staring down at his feet. He felt hollow inside, and numb. Overshadowing that, though, was the disappointment.

He nodded and walked off towards Fenton Works. Sam watched the retreating form of one of her two best friends, then she turned and walked away.

Inside, Tucker watched this all unfurl. He couldn't hear what they were saying, but he knew anyway.

_Clueless_, he thought humorously. Sometimes he didn't feel like he belonged with them- he was a third wheel. Tucker hoped that when they finally worked out their relationship, he wouldn't be forgotten- like he had ignored them when he and Valerie started going out. Tucker felt a twinge of guilt at this memory.

Danny walked slowly, feeling the weight of her rejection as a tangible being, sitting on his chest. He knew that he couldn't go home; he wasn't up to facing any of his family members today.

Peering around him, Danny checked that he was alone before the halos transformed him and he launched himself into the air.

He flew for what seemed like hours, before finally getting tired and landing on the edge of a large lake.

Lake Eerie, he remembered from the fishing trip with his dad. How ironic.

Danny, his white hair blowing over his face in a cool breeze, sat down on the edge of the lake and thought.

_Why doesn't Sam like me_? He wondered, looking at his face in the water_. Is it because of this?_

His reflection smiled, and Danny was overcome with a feeling of foreboding.

'You,' he whispered, unable to make a louder noise.

The reflection smiled and seemed to climb out of the water, though he remained as dry as Danny.

Danny tried again. 'Why are you here?' He asked, a bit more forcibly.

The reflection chuckled. 'Where else would I go?'

'Away,' Danny thought. Phantom seemed to hear it.

'Away?' It questioned. 'Away where? After all, I _am_ your reflection- I am as much a part of you as you are to me.'

Phantom shrugged. It appeared to be enjoying itself. 'Without you, I wouldn't exist,' He walked away from Danny, each step slow and deliberate. 'And without me, you would be a freak.'

Phantom stopped walking and spun to face Danny. 'So, I have decided to leave you alone-'

The halfa grinned idiotically. 'Great!' He exclaimed.

Phantom raised his voice. 'On _one_ condition.'

Danny nodded warily as the reflection approached him. 'Name it.'

Phantom's expression softened. 'Don't lose Sam.'

**AN:**

**Sorry, last chapter. I couldn't think of another way to finish it.**

**I leave for Tasmania tomorrow morning, so I wont be able to upload any new stories.**

**The holiday will, however, give me a lot of time to write new ones!**

**First idea: Danny is developing a new ghost power, but will it be too unstable for Danny to handle?**

**thanks to all my friends who I forced to read this- especially gabby who I've been bothering all day!**

**Have a great holiday, everyone!**


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